DLK induces developmental neuronal degeneration via selective regulation of proapoptotic JNK activity

The c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway is essential for neuronal degeneration in multiple contexts but also regulates neuronal homeostasis. It remains unclear how neurons are able to dissociate proapoptotic JNK signaling from physiological JNK activity. In this paper, we show that the mixed lineage kinase dual leucine zipper kinase (DLK) selectively regulates the JNK-based stress response pathway to mediate axon degeneration and neuronal apoptosis without influencing other aspects of JNK signaling. This specificity is dependent on interaction of DLK with the scaffolding protein JIP3 to form a specialized JNK signaling complex. Local activation of DLK-based signaling in the axon results in phosphorylation of c-Jun and apoptosis after redistribution of JNK to the cell body. In contrast, regulation of axon degeneration by DLK is c-Jun independent and mediated by distinct JNK substrates. DLK-null mice displayed reduced apoptosis in multiple neuronal populations during development, demonstrating that prodegenerative DLK signaling is required in vivo.